Home At Last
by E.A. Cooper
Summary: Challenger has finally perfected his teleportation device. Everyone except Veronica and Melone are preparing to go. What happens when one explorer gets deathly ill? What will happen when Marguerite, Roxton, and Challenger enter the teleportation device?


**The Lost World**

**Note**: Hello, all. Thanks for deciding to read my story. I have read the official plotline (Yes, it was written by the writers of TLW) for season four recently and have decided to take the liberty of writing the full story. I'm going to start off with their dream of the series finale – Marguerite and Roxton's wedding. (Yup, theirs (but mine, too)) If you do not believe me (about season four and beyond), post a reply saying so, and I'll send you a link to the plan for season four. Eventually, I will write up the already summarized episodes, but I'm starting with this for sheer merriment. If you don't understand something, just tell me (though it is likely to be explained in the other sixteen, or more, stories.) When I finish this, I will start with HOTS (Heart of the Storm) Part 2.

**Explanation to understanding**: Before you read the story, here are some key facts:

Ancient battle between good and evil… aka Veronica and Mordren

Both need help of a third party… aka Marguerite

A knight is destined to bring Marguerite to the good side… Roxton

Bad guys disrupted that plan by keeping Marguerite and Roxton apart as kids in Avebury

Looks like bad guys win

Challenger is the wizard of the "Protector" – Veronica – and Malone, her beloved, would both be there to help Veronica fight.

Finn has died trying to save Veronica

Don't worry about not understanding the facts, as it's more or less background information. Also, Marguerite and Roxton don't know that they were destined to be together. They just know that they love each other. They will find out in my story.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the lost world or any of its characters. Some of the guests are mine, yes, but otherwise nothing. (Think maybe they'd let me buy it? I could put TLW on the air again!)

**Home at Last**

"Now, if I can just get this stream of energy to flow in the correct direction, the teleportation device will be able to function properly and it will send us to Hyde Park, London." Challenger said proudly.

Veronica looked away from the demonstration sadly, as the others congratulated Challenger. For years, she and the explorers had lived in the tree-house together. Now, they were all going back to London without her. She wanted to go, in a way, but Veronica knew that she could not.

Ned could tell she was unhappy about the returning home. He walked towards her. Almost immediately, he took her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Veronica, I'm not leaving here without you," he said. "But Ned, you know I have to stay here. I can't leave. It's my duty as the protector to stay." Veronica urged. "I know," Ned said coolly. He hadn't told anyone about his plan, but Ned figured that now was as good a time as any. "Veronica, I'm staying here with you. I love you," Ned looked directly at Veronica's eyes as he said this. "I love you, Ned" Veronica said. She had never admitted it before, but Veronica had always loved him. Veronica felt bad, though, as she never showed any signs of affection towards him.

Marguerite stood next to her beloved Roxton, her head on his chest. Roxton's arm was resting on her shoulder, pulling them closer together. Marguerite looked up at Roxton as Challenger delivered his news. "Roxton, we're going home!" she said excitedly. They hugged each other as Roxton kissed Marguerite's forehead. "By god, Challenger, you've done it!" Roxton shouted, throwing his hat in the air. Marguerite caught it and placed it back on Roxton's head. They resumed their old positions to allow Challenger to deliver the rest of his news.

"It will be about two days before the machine can work properly again. In the meantime, I suggest all that are coming to rest up. You will need your health for this trip. Now, I am going to retire into the tree-house. You'd be best to do the same." Challenger said. _"I hope it works this time," he thought. "Last time, we got Finn. And now, we've lost her, though she died saving Veronica." He thought. _For weeks Finn had plagued Challenger's thoughts. Now, as he lay down on his warm cot, he thought about her death.

"Wasn't it strange, the way Challenger acted?" Veronica asked, holding on to Ned's hand. "Yeah, it was. It was almost like he wasn't telling us something" Roxton answered. Marguerite nudged him softly in the stomach and pointed to Veronica and Ned's hands. "And it seems as though he's not the only one" Roxton added. Ned looked at Roxton puzzled. He looked down towards his and Veronica's hands. "Oh, well, maybe we better sit down." Ned said. Veronica, still holding Ned's hand, led Marguerite and Roxton to the campground, where there were three wooden logs to be used as seats. There was also a small circle of rocks, ready to have a fire made in them. Veronica led them all into the campsite and went to light a fire. "You can sit on the logs." She said. When the fire was lit, she joined Malone on one bench, whereas Marguerite and Roxton accompanied another. None of the explorers had been here before, though Veronica evidently had. "I made this spot a bit after… my nearly-fatal incident." Veronica explained. "Well it's a good thing you made a spot for a fire. It's bloody cold out here." Marguerite said. She got closer to Roxton than she had been before. He wrapped his muscular arms around her and whispered in her ear, "You won't be cold later." Ned cleared his throat. "Excuse us, please, what's your news?" Roxton asked.

"As you know," Veronica began. "Because of my duties, I must stay here on the plateau. The rest of you, however, have served your purposes here and you are free to go. And, before I continue, I must say, Marguerite, you've done some very very unselfish things these past few months." "Have I?" Marguerite asked. Veronica continued, "Yes, you have. You chose to help me defend the world, and you let Malone and Challenger take care of Roxton." Marguerite chuckled. "That was much to my protest," Marguerite said. Roxton kissed the top of her head. "Okay, but look at what you've done for Roxton. First off, you are the perfect match for each other." Both Marguerite and Roxton smiled. "And even though Mordren had the power of life or death over Roxton, you chose good, taking the blow for yourself. We were so terrified for you, especially when you hadn't woken up for two weeks. And Roxton, you were so devoted to Marguerite during that time – rarely leaving her side." Veronica paused to grab Ned's hand again. "You rarely left my side?" Marguerite asked, almost as if she couldn't believe it. "Of course I didn't - not even to sleep. I slept in a chair next to your bed. Once or twice, I left to get more water for both you and I, but that's about it." Roxton answered proudly. He figured that Malone and Veronica didn't mind, as they were having a hushed conversation of their own. "But why?" Marguerite asked. She turned around towards Roxton. "Was it because I saved your neck, or because of something a little more… personal? Has Lord John Roxton fallen for a little orphan girl like me?" Marguerite teased. "I believe you know the correct answer to that, Marguerite. As you said, Lord John Roxton has fallen for a girl like you." Roxton answered. Veronica started to talk again. "Malone and I have decided to stay here, together." She said. For the first time in a while, Malone took over talking. "When you go, I want the three of you to take my journals. I have plenty more empty ones. If you do, it will prove to the world that this plateau exists and show the world what has happened here. It will tell them all about Veronica, the tree house, the Zanga, and all the things we've been through." He said. "You can count on it, Malone" Roxton nodded. "Excuse me. I feel a bit tired. See you all in the morning." Marguerite said, as she got up and left the men and Veronica. "I, myself, am a little tired" Veronica said and she, too, got up and left. "You've got yourself a fine match, Malone" Roxton said. The men stood up. "So have you. I always knew there was something between you two, before you were together, I mean." Ned said. They too went up to the tree house.

The next morning, Challenger awoke first. He went off to the kitchen to make some of his favorite tea. Today, he had decided to send Roxton and Marguerite to the village of the avatars. For his experiment, Challenger had decided to get some protection, in case a dinosaur should come during the experiment. Challenger expected them to be there overnight.

Malone was the next to wake, followed closely by Veronica, though Challenger didn't see either of them the entire day. He was however aware of them being awake. Roxton was the last to wake, which was quite unusual for him, and Marguerite had woken about an hour before him. When Marguerite came out of her room, Challenger asked, "Marguerite, have you seen Roxton?" She looked up. "Roxton? As far as I know, he's still asleep. Would you like me to go wake him up?" Marguerite asked. "Yes, please. I have something very important to discuss with the two of you." Challenger replied. "Alright," Marguerite said. She left the kitchen and went into Roxton's room. On his bed, she sat. "Roxton, c'mon time to get up." She said. "This is how I should wake-up every day," he said groggily. "Roxton," Marguerite laughed. "C'mon, Challenger has something important to discuss with us." She said. Marguerite left the room to allow Roxton to dress and to inform Challenger that Roxton was awake. "He should be coming soon," Marguerite said. Sure enough, Roxton came right out, almost as if on cue. "Good, I need to ask you a favor. I need the two of you to go to an avatar village. I need about five people here to protect Veronica." Challenger explained. "And Malone," Marguerite added. "Malone? You mean to say the Ned's staying here?" Challenger asked. "Yes. Veronica and Ned are staying here together. I had figured that they would like to tell you, but I suppose now you know." Roxton said. "Alright, please proceed to the village. I'll expect you back in three days time. See you then," Challenger said. Roxton and Marguerite grabbed their guns and headed towards the village. Challenger retreated into the lab, trying to figure out how to test the teleportation device.


End file.
